[H]ow do you make someone stronger than the strongest person? It finally came to me: Don't make him human — make him a god. I decided readers were already pretty familiar with the Greek and Roman gods. It might be fun to delve into the old Norse legends... Besides, I pictured Norse gods looking like Vikings of old, with the flowing beards, horned helmets, and battle clubs. ...Journey into Mystery needed a shot in the arm, so I picked Thor ... to headline the book. After writing an outline depicting the story and the characters I had in mind, I asked my brother, Larry, to write the script because I didn't have time. ...and it was only natural for me to assign the penciling to Jack Kirby...[7]

In a 1984 interview Kirby said "I did a version of Thor for D.C. in the fifties before I did him for Marvel. I created Thor at Marvel because I was forever enamored of legends, which is why I knew about Balder, Heimdall, and Odin. I tried to update Thor and put him into a superhero costume, but he was still Thor."[8] The story was included in Tales of the Unexpected #16, from 1957; and although the character had a different design, some details would be reused by Kirby when he created the Marvel Comics version.[9] And in a 1992 interview, Kirby said "[I] knew the Thor legends very well, but I wanted to modernize them. I felt that might be a new thing for comics, taking the old legends and modernizing them."[10]

Subsequent stories of the 13-page feature "The Mighty Thor" continued to be plotted by Lee, and were variously scripted by Lieber or by Robert Bernstein, working under the pseudonym "R. Berns". Various artists penciled the feature, including Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, Don Heck, and Al Hartley. With Journey into Mystery #101 (Feb. 1964), the series began a long and definitive run by writer and co-plotter Lee and penciler and co-plotter Kirby that lasted until the by-then-retitled Thor #179 (Aug. 1970).[11][12]

Lee and Kirby included Thor in The Avengers #1 (Sept. 1963) as a founding member of the superhero team.[13] The character has since appeared in every subsequent volume of the series.

The five-page featurette "Tales of Asgard" was added in Journey into Mystery #97 (Oct. 1963),[14] followed by "The Mighty Thor" becoming the dominant cover logo with issue #104 (May 1964). The feature itself expanded to 18 pages in #105, which eliminated the remaining anthological story from each issue; it was reduced to 16 pages five issues later. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that "the adventures of Thor were gradually transformed from stories about a strange-looking superhero into a spectacular saga."[15] Artist Chic Stone, who inked several early Thor stories, observed that "Kirby could just lead you through all these different worlds. The readers would follow him anywhere."[16]

Journey into Mystery was retitled Thor (per the indicia, or The Mighty Thor per most covers)[11] with issue #126 (March 1966). "Tales of Asgard" was replaced by a five-page featurette starring the Inhumans from #146–152 (Nov. 1967 – May 1968), after which featurettes were dropped and the Thor stories expanded to Marvel's then-standard 20-page length. Marvel filed for a trademark for "The Mighty Thor" in 1967 and the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued the registration in 1970.[17]

After Kirby left the title, Neal Adams penciled issues #180–181 (Sept.-Oct. 1970).[18]John Buscema then became the regular artist the following issue. Buscema continued to draw the book almost without interruption until #278 (Dec. 1978). Lee stopped scripting soon after Kirby left, and during Buscema's long stint on the book, the stories were mostly written by Gerry Conway, Len Wein, or Roy Thomas. Thomas continued to write the title after Buscema's departure, working much of the time with the artist Keith Pollard; during this period Thomas integrated many elements of traditional Norse mythology into the title, with specific stories translated into comics form.[19] Following Thomas's tenure, Thor had a changing creative team.

Walt Simonson took over both writing and art as of #337 (Nov. 1983). His stories placed a greater emphasis on the character's mythological origins.[22] Simonson's run as writer-artist lasted until #367 (May 1986), although he continued to write – and occasionally draw – the book until issue #382 (Aug. 1987). Simonson's run, which introduced the character Beta Ray Bill, was regarded as a popular and critical success.[23][24] Simonson's later stories were drawn by Sal Buscema, who describes Simonson's stories as "very stimulating. It was a pleasure working on his plots, because they were a lot of fun to illustrate. He had a lot of great ideas, and he took Thor in a totally new direction."[25] Asked why he was leaving Thor, Simonson said that he felt the series was due for a change in creative direction, and that he wanted to reduce his work load for a time.[26] After Simonson's departure, Marvel's editor-in-chief at the time, Tom DeFalco, became the writer. Working primarily with artist Ron Frenz, DeFalco stayed on the book until #459 (Feb. 1993).

When the character was returned to the mainstream Marvel Universe, Thor was relaunched with Thor vol. 2, #1 (July 1998).[27][28][29] As of issue #36, the title used dual numbering in a tribute to the original Thor series, and the caption box for said issue became #36 / #538 (June 2001). The title ran until issue #85 / #587, dated December 2004. Dan Jurgens wrote the first 79 issues, with Daniel Berman and Michael Avon Oeming completing the series.

In April 2011, Thor once again reverted to its original title of Journey into Mystery with issue #622, reuniting writer Gillen and artist Braithwaite in a series of stories starring Thor's adopted brother, Loki.[45] An ongoing series, titled The Mighty Thor, launched the same month with writer Fraction and artist Coipel.[46] The series ended with issue #22 in October 2012.[47][48]

In October 2012, Thor became a regular character in Uncanny Avengers, beginning with issue #1. The following month, an ongoing series titled Thor: God of Thunder by writer Jason Aaron and artist Esad Ribić debuted as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch.[49][50] This story arc was voted as the 8th best Thor story by Comicbook.com.[51]

In October 2014, a fourth volume of Thor by Jason Aaron and artist Russell Dauterman debuted that featured a female character (later revealed to be Jane Foster) in the role of Thor after the classic hero is no longer able to wield Mjolnir. Aaron stated that "this is not She-Thor. This is not Lady Thor. This is not Thorita. This is Thor. This is the Thor of the Marvel Universe. But it's unlike any Thor we've ever seen before."[52] The following October, Aaron and Dauterman signed an exclusive agreement with Marvel to continue their work together in a second volume of The Mighty Thor, also starring Foster.[53]

In July 2016, Marvel announced a new ongoing series titled The Unworthy Thor by Aaron and Coipel. The series follows the original Thor, who now refers to himself as Odinson, as he tries to find his purpose after relinquishing his name and title to Foster. Aaron stated that the series finds Odinson in a dark place explaining, "He failed for a reason we still don't quite understand. He dropped the hammer and hasn't been able to pick it up since. So then we go to a pretty dark place. A darker, more desperate, more driven version."[54]

Thor's father Odin decides his son needed to be taught humility and consequently places Thor (without memories of godhood) into the body and memories of an existing, partially disabled human medical student, Donald Blake.[55] After becoming a doctor, Blake witnesses the arrival of an alien scouting party while he is on vacation in Norway. Blake flees from the aliens into a cave. After discovering Thor's hammer Mjolnir (disguised as a walking stick) and striking it against a rock, he transforms into the thunder god.[56] Later, in Thor #159, Blake is revealed to have always been Thor, Odin's enchantment having caused him to forget his history as The Thunder God and believe himself mortal.[57]

Falling in love with Jane Foster, Thor disobeys his father and refuses to return to Asgard, an act for which he is punished on several occasions.[74] Thor's natural affinity for Earth is eventually revealed to be due to the fact that he was the son of the Elder GoddessGaea.[75] Although Thor initially regards himself as a "superhero" like his teammates in the Avengers,[75] Loki's machinations draw Thor into increasingly epic adventures, such as teaming with his father Odin and Asgardian ally Balder against the fire demon Surtur and Skagg the Storm Giant,[76] and defeating an increasingly powerful Absorbing Man and proving his innocence in the "Trial of the Gods".[77] This necessitates an extended leave of absence from the Avengers.[78]

Thor encounters the Greek GodHercules,[79][80] who becomes a loyal and trustworthy friend. Thor saves Hercules from fellow OlympianPluto;[81] stops the advance of Ego the Living Planet;[82][83][84] rescues Jane Foster from the High Evolutionary and defeats his flawed creation, the Man-Beast.[85][86] Odin finally relents and allows Thor to love Jane Foster, on the proviso she pass a trial. Foster panics and Thor intervenes. After Foster fails the test, Odin returns her to Earth, where she is given another chance at love, while a heartbroken Thor is introduced to the Asgardian warrior Sif.[87][88] Thor battles the Asgardian trollUlik for the first time when Ulik attempts to steal Mjolnir.[89] The thunder god returns to Asgard to prevent Mangog from drawing the Odinsword and ending the universe,[90] Thor learns the origin of Galactus[91] and rescues Sif after she is kidnapped by Him.[92][93]

Thor prevents another attempt by Mangog — disguised as Odin — from drawing the Odinsword;[102][103] is saved by the intervention of ally Volstagg when the "Odin Force" became a semi-sentient destructive force;[104] and is rescued from death when Odin engineers a false Ragnarök and has reporter Red Norvell die in his place battling the Midgard Serpent.[105] Thor met the Eternals in a lengthy storyline.[106][107] Thor also encounters the "Eye of Odin" (sacrificed by Odin to drink from the Well of Mimir) which claimed another Asgard and version of Thor once existed.[108]

Thor eventually confronts the threat of the Celestial Fourth Host, and after an extended series of encounters learns of the apparent true origin of Asgard and Odin's plans to defend Earth from the alien judges. Despite the attempt by Odin to stop the Celestials by occupying the Destroyer armor (now 2,000 feet tall as holding the life essence of every Asgardian) and wielding the Odinsword (and aided by the Uni-Mind, an entity composed of the Eternals) and Thor himself, the aliens depart when presented with an offering by Gaea on behalf of the "Skymothers" (e.g. Frigga and Hera) of twelve perfect humans. Thor also learns Gaea was his birth mother.[19]

After restoring the Asgardian gods with a gathering of energies donated by Skyfathers from other pantheons,[109] Thor has a series of adventures on Earth, including encountering two Heralds of Galactus in swift succession;[110][111] stopping Mephisto from taking human souls;[112] clearing his name when framed by Asgardian god of war Tyr;[113][114] aiding Drax the Destroyer;[115] with ally Iron Man defeating the Bi-Beast and the Man-Beast;[116][117][118] engaging the former king of Nastrond Fafnir transformed by Odin into a dragon in combat when freed by Loki,[119] and battling Dracula.[120][121] Thor learns of the existence of the "God Eater", a creature summoned when the death gods of several pantheons temporarily merge their realms. Thor thwarts the creature – revealed to be in humanoid guise Atum, the son of Gaea, and therefore Thor's half-brother – and ensures the cosmic balance is restored.[122]

While exploring an approaching space vessel at the request of Nick Fury, Thor encounters Beta Ray Bill,[123] who after a brief battle, proved himself worthy of lifting Thor's hammer Mjolnir. After initial misunderstandings, Bill forms an alliance with the Asgardian gods, and is empowered by Odin to aid Thor and his allies in a war with an approaching army of demons,[124] which is revealed to be led by fire demon Surtur, now wielding "Twilight", the gigantic "Sword of Doom". After a series of extended battles – including a battle to the death with Fafnir and thwarting the Dark ElfMalekith — the gods are finally triumphant, although during combat Odin and Surtur disappear through a rift and are presumed dead.[125][126]

Thor remains in Asgard to deal with the vacuum left by Odin's apparent death, and drives off Hela;[127] meets Tiwaz, his great-grandfather;[128][129] forces Loki to cure him from the effects of a love potion;[130] with allies enters Hela's realm and rescues lost mortal souls.[131] Returning to Earth, Thor and Beta Ray Bill defeat the transformed Dark Elf Kurse,[132] although Loki uses the power of Surtur's discarded sword to change Thor into a frog. After an adventure in Central Park, Thor manages to partially restore himself and then forces Loki to reverse the spell.[133][134][135] While rescuing X-Factor member the Angel from torture by the mercenary team the Marauders, Thor is cursed by Hela, who makes his bones as brittle as glass and unable to heal if damaged; and renders him truly immortal and unable to die no matter how severe his injuries.[136] Thor is injured again during a battle with the Absorbing Man engineered by Loki,[137][138] and is ultimately saved by Loki during a battle with the Dark Elves.[139]

Eventually forced to wear armor to protect his broken body, Thor and Loki defeat a group of Ice Giants, who seek revenge by trying to locate the Midgard Serpent, hoping it would kill the thunder god. The Giants instead find the dragon Fin Fang Foom, who is revealed to be the Midgard Serpent in disguise. Time slows as the pair – mortal enemies due to prophecy that stated they would kill each other during Ragnarök — battle to the death. Thor kills the Serpent, although his body is completely pulverized.[140] Loki restores the Destroyer, who kills the Ice Giants and finds Thor's now liquid form. The Destroyer attempts to disintegrate the thunder god but can not do so due to Hela's curse. Thor assumes mental control of the Destroyer, and forces Hela on pain of death to restore his true form. The thunder god then breaks Loki's arm as punishment for his actions.[141] Thor meets and battles Leir, the Celtic god of lightning.[142] After another encounter with the Celestials on an alien world;[143] Thor finds Odin — a captive of Seth — and uses the Odinpower to fend off a returning Surtur;[144] and defeats Annihilus while Asgard is in the Negative Zone.[145][146] Thor battles X-Men foe the Juggernaut and meets the New Warriors.[147][148]

After Thor kills Loki in single combat,[149]Heimdall – standing in for Odin temporarily as ruler of Asgard – banishes Thor from Asgard; he is replaced by the mortal Eric Masterson, who became the hero Thunderstrike. When Odin awakes, Thor is forgiven and returned.[150] During a battle Thor is driven into a "warrior's madness" by a Valkyrie. After overpowering everyone who attempts to stop his rampage,[151] Thor is brought by the Eternal and Thanos before Odin, who cures his son of the madness.[152]

Thor, together with the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and other heroes, is trapped in an alternate universe after defeating the villain Onslaught. The heroes live alternate lives for a year in what is revealed to be an artificial creation until returning to their own universe.[153] Thor and several members of the Avengers battle the Destroyer. Thor is saved by an enigmatic being called Marnot, who binds the life-force of a mortal called Jake Olson to the thunder god.[154][155] Thor enters into a war with the Dark Gods with Marnot revealed to be Hescamer, one of Odin's ravens;[156] and battles the returning Enchanters Three.[157]

Thor faces a prolonged struggle against Thanos when he seeks to remake the universe.[158] When Odin dies in battle against Surtur, Thor becomes ruler of Asgard. The thunder god extends his rule to Earth, with major repercussions. Thor and the Asgardians slay or imprison those who oppose them, including a young religious mutant called Davis; Zarrko the Tomorrow Man; Perrikus of the Dark Gods; the U.S. Government, and even his fellow Avengers. Thor marries Amora (the Enchantress), and has a son, Magni, who upon reaching adulthood doubts his father's judgment. Wracked with guilt, Thor is drawn into battle with his former ally Tarene and the Destroyer (occupied by former foe Desak), and reverses these events via time travel.[159][160][161][162][163][164]

When the timeline is reset, Loki revives Surtur, who forges new uru hammers for Loki's Storm Giant followers and began Ragnarök. Thor learns that Ragnarok was the result of the self-styled "gods to the gods" known as Those Who Sit Above in Shadow, who feed on the cycle. Thor confronts the Norns (Fates), and severs the tapestry of Asgard's existence. After breaking the Ragnarok cycle and being advised by the Odinforce that this was his father's plan, Thor enters into hibernation. With his fate unknown to the Avengers, he is believed to be missing in action.[165]

Thor's hammer Mjolnir is eventually found on Earth and put under United States Army protection. When the supervillain Doctor Doom escapes from Hell, Mjolnir falls through the dimensional plane, and Doom tries unsuccessfully to lift the hammer. Mjolnir then comes into the possession of a man carrying a bag with the initials "D.B".[166] Donald Blake, upon touching the hammer Mjolnir, is transported to the void of non-existence in which Thor resides. Blake explains that when Odin originally removed the Blake persona from Thor,[167] Blake was consigned to the void that Thor now inhabited. With Odin's death, Blake was suddenly restored into being in New York City. Blake convinces Thor to wield Mjolnir once more, return to Earth, and renew the dual identity with Blake. Blake also reveals that Thor's fellow Asgardians still live in the minds and hearts of mortals, and only needed to be found and released.[168] Thor rebuilds Asgard over Broxton, Oklahoma,[169][170][171] and learns of the events that occurred during the 2006–2007 "Civil War" storyline, in which the U.S. government passed the Superhuman Registration Act, requiring all persons with superhuman abilities to register with the government or be subject to imprisonment. The superhero community was split over this law, which led to conflict between the two sides. Furthermore, Iron Man, who became the de facto leader and public face of the pro-registration forces, hunted and imprisoned their mutual former comrades who had joined the anti-registration side, led by Captain America. Iron Man and others also used Thor's DNA to create a clone of him to serve him in this campaign,[172] for which Thor is greatly angered.[171][173] When Iron Man confronts Thor over the latter's bringing Asgard to Oklahoma, and tells him that he himself must register with the government, Thor easily dispatches Iron Man, and tells him that anyone who attempts to approach Asgard uninvited will be dealt with mercilessly. As a compromise to keep the U.S. government from losing face, Iron Man suggests that since Asgard hovers above the ground, it can be regarded as diplomatic embassy or mission separate from the United States and not bound by the Registration Act. Though Thor accepts this,[173] his and Captain America's animosity toward Stark would persist until the conclusion of the 2010–2011 Avengers Prime miniseries.[174] Thor searches for his fellow Asgardians, and restores each of them,[173] with the exception of Sif, who had been trapped in the body of an old woman dying of cancer, her real form stolen by Loki. Thor locates Odin in a limbo between life and death, waging constant battle with Surtur. Odin advises his son that Thor must lead the Asgardians.[175][176][177]

During the 2008 "Secret Invasion" storyline, Thor rescues and heals Beta Ray Bill, who after being temporarily given Mjolnir, aids Thor in defending Earth against an invading force of alien Skrulls.[178][179][180] Due to Loki's deception, Thor battles and kills his grandfather Bor, and is banished from Asgard.[181][182] With Thor's hammer Mjolnir damaged in that battle, Thor seeks out Doctor Strange, who is only able to repair the hammer by transferring the Odinforce from Thor to Mjolnir, binding the two in a symbiotic relationship. With the repaired hammer, Thor is able to draw out the imprisoned Sif, and return her to her own body, thereby restoring Loki to his male body in the process.[183][184]

Odinson with the battle axe Jarnbjorn and a prosthetic arm on a variant cover of Thor vol. 4, #2 (Jan. 2015). Art by Esad Ribić.

During the events of the 2010 "Siege" storyline, Thor defends Asgard against an invasion by Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers. Although the invasion force is ultimately defeated, Asgard itself is toppled by the Sentry, who also kills Loki. Thor then kills the Sentry. Subsequently, the Superhuman Registration Act is repealed and Thor joins the rebranded Avengers, who had come to his aid during the battle.[185][186][187][188][189] The next day Balder lifts Thor's exile and appoints Thor as his adviser.[190] Immediately after the fall of Asgard, Thor, Captain America and Iron Man are transported to the Norse realm of Hel, where they battle against Hela, after which Thor and Captain America's friendship with Iron Man is renewed.[174]

Thor aids Amadeus Cho in a quest to find the necessary ingredients to bring back their mutual friend Hercules from a parallel universe.[191] During the events of the Chaos War, Thor joins Hercules' God Squad to battle the Chaos King, who is set on destroying all of existence.[192] With Asgard in ruins on Earth, the nine worlds are left undefended and are invaded by a force known as "The World Eaters". Seeking counsel on the matter, Thor restores his father Odin and his brother Loki, whom Thor had missed since his death.[193]

During the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline, Sin frees Odin's long-forgotten brother, Cul, a God of Fear known also as the Serpent, from his underwater prison. Once free, The Serpent dispatches his generals known as the Worthy, each armed with magical uru hammers of their own, to descend the Earth into a state of fear. Although Thor and the Avengers manage to defeat the Serpent and his followers, Thor dies from the injuries he sustains during the battle.[194] At Thor's funeral, Thor and other people's memories of him are replaced by Ulik under the guise of Tanarus, a new thunder god.[195][196] Thor returns from the limbo of forgotten dead gods with the help of Loki and the Silver Surfer, and vanquishes Ulik.[197]

Following the murder of Uatu and the revelation of his many secrets during the 2014 "Original Sin" storyline, Thor learns that Angela is the daughter of Odin and that she was thought to have been killed during Asgard's war with the Angels of the Tenth Realm. In response, Odin severed the Tenth Realm from the other nine realms and removed all memory of its existence. Thor confronts Frigga about these events and travels to the Tenth Realm with Loki to learn more about his "sister".[201] Later, Nick Fury whispers an unrevealed secret to Thor that causes him to lose the ability to pick up his hammer.[202]

In the aftermath of the "Original Sin" storyline, Thor takes up the battle axe Jarnbjorn as a substitute for Mjolnir and subsequently loses his left arm in combat against Malekith the Accursed. Meanwhile, an unidentified woman, later revealed as Jane Foster,[203] lifts Mjolnir; taking possession of Thor's power.[204] Although Thor initially attempts to reclaim the hammer,[205] he relinquishes the name and role of Thor after witnessing the woman wield its power. Thor Odinson continues his work as a superhero under the name "Odinson", using Jarnbjorn and a prosthetic arm made of black uru.[206]

In the 2016 limited series The Unworthy Thor, Odinson learns that Ultimate Thor's hammer has crash landed on Asgard following the "Secret Wars" storyline. Odinson ultimately turns down the opportunity to lift it and reveals to Beta Ray Bill that the words Nick Fury whispered to him were "Gorr was right", explaining that no god is worthy of mortal admiration. After this an unknown individual, later revealed as Volstagg,[207] picks up Ultimate Thor's hammer and calls himself "War Thor".[208]

Like all Asgardians, Thor is incredibly long-lived and relies upon periodic consumption of the Golden Apples of Idunn to sustain his extended lifespan, which to date has lasted many millennia. Being the son of Odin and the elder goddess Gaea, Thor is physically the strongest of the Asgardians.[75][96][211][212][213] Thor is capable of incredible feats of strength, such as lifting the almost Earth-sized Midgard Serpent,[214] supporting a weight equivalent to that of 20 planets,[215] and by combining his power with that of Beta Ray Bill, destroying Surtur's solar system-sized dimensional portal.[216] If pressed in battle, Thor is capable of entering into a state known as the "Warrior's Madness" ("berserkergang" in Norwegian and Danish alike), which will temporarily increase his strength and stamina tenfold, although in this state he attacks friend and foe alike.[93][217][218]

Thor possesses a very high resistance to physical injury that approaches invulnerability.[219][220][221] He has even survived energy blasts from Celestials.[222] Thor possesses keen senses[58] that allow him to track objects traveling faster than light[223] and hear cries from the other side of the planet.[224] Thor has the ability to travel through time.[65] His stamina allowed him to battle the entire Frost Giant army for nine months without any sustenance or rest;[225] Thor has shown the ability to regenerate wounded portions of his body,[226] including entire limbs or organs, with the aid of magical forces such as Mjolnir.[226] Thor has superhuman speed, agility, and reflexes, enabling him to deflect bullets with his hammer,[227] and to swing or throw it at many times the speed of light.[228][229][230] In early stories, Thor has shown to be capable of vortex breath, which produces powerful winds.[65] Like all Asgardians, he has immunity to all Earthly diseases and some resistance to magic. Exceptionally powerful magic can overwhelm Odin's enchantment that transforms him between Asgardian and mortal forms.[231]

As the Norse god of thunder, Thor can summon the elements of the storm (lightning; rain; wind; snow) and uses Mjolnir as a tool to focus this ability, although the hammer cannot command artificial weather, only natural. He can cause these weather effects over the world and destroy entire buildings; by whirling his hammer he can lift entire buildings with the wind.[211] Thor can also create small tornadoes by quickly whipping his cape in circles.[227] As the son of the Earth goddess Gaea, Thor has shown some control over the Earth.[232]

Thor is a superb hand-to-hand combatant, and is skilled in armed combat, excelling in the use of the war hammer, sword, axe and mace. Thor possesses two items which assist him in combat: the enchanted Belt of Strength, and his signature weapon, the mystical hammer Mjolnir. The first item doubles Thor's strength and endurance[233] while the second is used to control his weather abilities; flight; energy projection and absorption (sufficient to reignite a dying star);[234] dimensional travel; matter manipulation, and the most powerful of his offensives, the God Blast (which taps into Thor's life force, and has even forced Galactus to flee),[235][236][237][238] the Thermo-blast,[84] and the Anti-Force (which counteracts another force).[239] Using Mjolnir by throwing it in the desired direction and then holding on to the handle's leather loop, Thor can fly at supersonic speeds in Earth's atmosphere and travel faster than light in space. He can also use the hammer to create a barrier by letting it spin in a circle, and even managed to contain an explosion powerful enough to destroy 1/5th of the universe, although at the cost of his own life.[240] He can throw an object out of Earth's atmosphere by using his strength,[241] and throw his hammer to Asgard from which it will return.[58]

When Thor has to transport companions and/or objects to a destination by himself, he has a chariot drawn by two huge mystical goats called Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder that can fly nearly anywhere he desires almost as easily as with Mjolnir.[133]

^DeFalco, Tom; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1960s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 88. ISBN978-0756641238. [Stan Lee] had always been fascinated by the legends of the Norse gods and realized that he could use those tales as the basis for his new series centered on the mighty Thor...The heroic and glamorous style that...Jack Kirby [had] was perfect for Thor.CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)

^Sanderson, Peter "1940s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 39: "Not only did Olympian gods appear, but so did the Norse gods Thor and Loki."

^ abDeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 94: "Filled with some wonderful visual action, The Avengers #1 has a very simple story: the Norse god Loki tricked the Hulk into going on a rampage. In response, Rick Jones and his Teen Brigade tried to contact the Fantastic Four for help. However, Loki redirected the radio signal so Thor would hear it in the expectation that he would battle [the Hulk]."

^DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 95: "These backup stories originally began with updated versions of Norse mythology, but later switched to the adventures of a younger Thor."

^Englehart, Steve (n.d.). "Thor the Mighty". SteveEnglehart.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2013. Unfortunately, in one of those things that just happen in life, publishing plans changed and Thor the Mighty was shelved.

^DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 120: "Although a blonde goddess named Lady Sif had already appeared in the 'Tales of Asgard' story in Journey into Mystery #101 (Feb. 1964), the more recognizable, raven-haired Asgardian warrior-goddess finally showed up in The Mighty Thor #136."

^DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 121: "As powerful as Thor himself, Ulik first trudged on to the scene in The Mighty Thor #137."

^DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 131: "A creature born of hatred, Mangog lived only for vengeance. He was a demonic entity who hated the Asgardians and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby."

^DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 136: "Odin sent Thor to learn the secret of Galactus' past in this story by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He discovered that the planet-eater had once been an alien called Galen."

1.
John Buscema
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His younger brother Sal Buscema is also a comic book artist. Buscema is best known for his run on the series The Avengers and The Silver Surfer, in addition, he pencilled at least one issue of nearly every major Marvel title, including long runs on two of the companys top magazines Fantastic Four and Thor. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002, born in Brooklyn, New York City, John Buscema showed an interest in drawing at an early age, copying comic strips such as Popeye. He showed an interest in commercial illustrators of the period, such as N. C, wyeth, Norman Rockwell, Dean Cornwell, Coby Whitmore, Albert Dorne, and Robert Fawcett. Buscema graduated from Manhattans High School of Music and Art and he took night lessons at Pratt Institute as well as life drawing classes at the Brooklyn Museum. While training as a boxer, he began painting portraits of boxers, colan recalled that. John never seemed very happy in comics. There always seemed to be something else he wanted to do. His first recorded credit is penciling the four-page story Till Crime Do You Part in Timelys Lawbreakers Always Lose #3. He contributed to the dramatic series True Adventures and Man Comics, as well as to Cowboy Romances, Two-Gun Western, Lorna the Jungle Queen. Buscema next produced a series of Western, war, and sword, Buscema recalled, I did a bunch of their movie books. I worked from stills on those, except for The Vikings. I think one of the best books I ever did was Sinbad the Sailor. He began a position for the New York City advertising firm the Chaite Agency. Buscema called this time quite a period for me in my own development of techniques. He returned to comic books in 1966 as a regular freelance penciller for Marvel Comics, debuting over Jack Kirby layouts on the Nick Fury, Story in Strange Tales #150, followed by three Hulk stories in Tales to Astonish #85-87. He then settled in as regular penciller of The Avengers, which would one of his signature series. Avengers #49-50, featuring Hercules and inked by Buscema, are two of his best-looking of that period, said comics historian and one-time Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, Thomas and Buscema introduced new versions of the Black Knight and the Vision during their collaboration on The Avengers. The process brought Buscemas art to life in a way that it had never been before, anatomically balanced figures of Herculean proportions stalked, stormed, sprawled, and savaged their way across Marvels universe like none had previously. John Buscema named Frank Giacoia, Sal Buscema, and Tom Palmer as his favorite inkers, Buscema drew the first appearance of the Prowler in The Amazing Spider-Man #78

2.
Marvel Comics
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Marvel Comics is the common name and primary imprint of Marvel Worldwide Inc. formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, an American publisher of comic books and related media. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Worldwides parent company, Marvel started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvels modern incarnation dates from 1961, the year that the company launched The Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and many others. Most of Marvels fictional characters operate in a reality known as the Marvel Universe. Martin Goodman founded the later known as Marvel Comics under the name Timely Publications in 1939. Martin Goodman, a magazine publisher who had started with a Western pulp in 1933, was expanding into the emerging—and by then already highly popular—new medium of comic books. The issue was a success, with it and a second printing the following month selling, combined. While its contents came from an outside packager, Funnies, Inc, Timely had its own staff in place by the following year. It, too, proved a hit, with sales of one million. Goodman formed Timely Comics, Inc. beginning with comics cover-dated April 1941 or Spring 1941, Goodman hired his wifes cousin, Stanley Lieber, as a general office assistant in 1939. Lee wrote extensively for Timely, contributing to a number of different titles, Goodmans business strategy involved having his various magazines and comic books published by a number of corporations all operating out of the same office and with the same staff. One of these companies through which Timely Comics was published was named Marvel Comics by at least Marvel Mystery Comics #55. As well, some covers, such as All Surprise Comics #12, were labeled A Marvel Magazine many years before Goodman would formally adopt the name in 1961. The post-war American comic market saw superheroes falling out of fashion and this globe branding united a line put out by the same publisher, staff and freelancers through 59 shell companies, from Animirth Comics to Zenith Publications. Atlas also published a plethora of childrens and teen humor titles, including Dan DeCarlos Homer the Happy Ghost, Atlas unsuccessfully attempted to revive superheroes from late 1953 to mid-1954, with the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. Atlas did not achieve any hits and, according to Stan Lee, Atlas survived chiefly because it produced work quickly, cheaply. During this time, the Comic Code Authority made its debut in September 1954, Wertham published the book Seduction of the Innocent in order to force people to see that comics were impacting American youth. He believed violent comics were causing children to be reckless and were turning them into delinquents, in September 1954, comic book publishers got together to set up their own self-censorship organization—the Comics Magazine Association of America—in order to appease audiences

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Stan Lee
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Stan Lee is an American comic-book writer, editor, publisher, media producer, television host, actor, and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. In addition, he challenged the comics industrys censorship organization, the Comics Code Authority, Lee subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation. He was inducted into the book industrys Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994. Lee received a National Medal of Arts in 2008 and his father, trained as a dress cutter, worked only sporadically after the Great Depression, and the family moved further uptown to Fort Washington Avenue, in Washington Heights, Manhattan. When Lee was nearly 9, his sibling, brother Larry Lieber, was born. He said in 2006 that as a child he was influenced by books and movies, by the time Lee was in his teens, the family was living in a one-bedroom apartment at 1720 University Avenue in The Bronx. Lee has described it as an apartment facing out back, with he and his brother sharing a bedroom. Lee attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, in his youth, Lee enjoyed writing, and entertained dreams of one day writing the Great American Novel. He graduated from school early, aged 16½ in 1939. With the help of his uncle Robbie Solomon, Lee became an assistant in 1939 at the new Timely Comics division of pulp magazine, Timely, by the 1960s, would evolve into Marvel Comics. Lee, whose cousin Jean was Goodmans wife, was hired by Timely editor Joe Simon. His duties were prosaic at first, in those days dipped the pen in ink, I had to make sure the inkwells were filled, Lee recalled in 2009. I went down and got them their lunch, I did proofreading, Lee later explained in his autobiography and numerous other sources that he had intended to save his given name for more literary work. This initial story also introduced Captain Americas trademark ricocheting shield-toss, which became one of the characters signatures. He graduated from writing filler to actual comics with a feature, Headline Hunter, Foreign Correspondent. Lees first superhero co-creation was the Destroyer, in Mystic Comics #6, other characters he created during this period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comics include Jack Frost, debuting in USA Comics #1, and Father Time, debuting in Captain America Comics #6. When Simon and his creative partner Jack Kirby left late in 1941, following a dispute with Goodman, Lee entered the United States Army in early 1942 and served in the US in the Signal Corps, repairing telegraph poles and other communications equipment. He was later transferred to the Training Film Division, where he worked writing manuals, training films, and slogans and his military classification, he says, was playwright, he adds that only nine men in the US Army were given that title

4.
Jack Kirby
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Jack Kirby, born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer, and editor, widely regarded as one of the mediums major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. Kirby grew up in New York City, and learned to draw cartoon figures by tracing characters from comic strips and he entered the nascent comics industry in the 1930s, drawing various comics features under different pen names, including Jack Curtiss, before ultimately settling on Jack Kirby. In 1940, he and writer-editor Joe Simon created the highly successful superhero character Captain America for Timely Comics, during the 1940s, Kirby, generally teamed with Simon, created numerous characters for that company and for National Comics Publications, later to become DC Comics. After serving in World War II, Kirby produced work for a number of publishers, including DC, Harvey Comics, at Crestwood Publications he and Simon created the genre of romance comics and later founded their own short-lived comic company, Mainline Publications. Ultimately, Kirby found himself at Timelys 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics, there, in the 1960s, Kirby and writer-editor Stan Lee co-created many of the companys major characters, including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Hulk. The Lee-Kirby titles garnered high sales and critical acclaim, but in 1970, feeling he had been treated unfairly, at DC, Kirby created his Fourth World saga, which spanned several comics titles. While these series proved unsuccessful and were canceled, the Fourth Worlds New Gods have continued as a significant part of the DC Universe. Kirby returned to Marvel briefly in the mid-to-late 1970s, then ventured into television animation, Kirby was married to Rosalind Roz Goldstein in 1942. They had four children, and remained married until his death from heart failure in 1994, the Jack Kirby Awards and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame were named in his honor. Jack Kirby was born Jacob Kurtzberg on August 28,1917, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City and his parents, Rose and Benjamin Kurtzberg, were Austrian Jewish immigrants, and his father earned a living as a garment factory worker. In his youth, Kirby desired to escape his neighborhood and he liked to draw, and sought out places he could learn more about art. He was rejected by the Educational Alliance because he drew too fast with charcoal and he later found an outlet for his skills by drawing cartoons for the newspaper of the Boys Brotherhood Republic, a miniature city on East 3rd Street where street kids ran their own government. At age 14, Kirby enrolled at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, I wasnt the kind of student that Pratt was looking for. They wanted people who would work on something forever, I didnt want to work on any project forever. I intended to get things done, Kirby joined the Lincoln Newspaper Syndicate in 1936, working there on newspaper comic strips and on single-panel advice cartoons such as Your Health Comes First. He remained until late 1939, when he began working for the animation company Fleischer Studios as an inbetweener on Popeye cartoons. I went from Lincoln to Fleischer, he recalled, from Fleischer I had to get out in a hurry because I couldnt take that kind of thing, describing it as a factory in a sense, like my fathers factory. Around that time, the American comic book industry was booming, Kirby began writing and drawing for the comic-book packager Eisner & Iger, one of a handful of firms creating comics on demand for publishers

5.
Avengers (comics)
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The Avengers are a fictional team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, labeled Earths Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers originally consisted of Hank Pym, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and the Wasp. The original Captain America was discovered, trapped in ice, a rotating roster became a hallmark, although one theme remained consistent, the Avengers fight the foes no single superhero can withstand. The team, famous for its battle cry of Avengers Assemble. has featured humans, mutants, inhumans, robots, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains. The team has appeared in a variety of media outside of comic books including a number of different animated television series. A second Avengers film titled Avengers, Age of Ultron was released on May 1,2015, the team debuted in The Avengers #1. Much like the Justice League, the Avengers were an assemblage of pre-existing superhero characters created by Lee, between 1996 and 2004, Marvel relaunched the primary Avengers title three times. In 1996, the Heroes Reborn line took place in an alternate universe, the Avengers vol.3 relaunched and ran for 84 issues from February 1998 to August 2004. In January 2005, a new version of the team appeared in the ongoing title The New Avengers, followed by The Mighty Avengers, Avengers, The Initiative, Avengers vol.4 debuted in July 2010 and ran until January 2013. Vol.5 was launched in February 2013, after Secret Wars, a new Avengers team debuted, dubbed the All-New, All-Different Avengers, starting with a Free Comic Book Day preview. After the group vanquished Loki, Ant-Man stated that the five worked well together and suggested they form a team, Captain America soon joined the team in issue #4, and he was given founding member status in the Hulks place. The Avengers went on to fight such as Baron Zemo, who formed the Masters of Evil, Kang the Conqueror, Wonder Man. The next milestone came when every member but Captain America resigned, Giant-Man, now calling himself Goliath, and the Wasp rejoined. Hercules became part of the team, while the Black Knight, Spider-Man was offered membership but did not join the group. The Black Panther joined after rescuing the team from the Grim Reaper, the X-Men #45 featured a crossover with The Avengers #53. This was followed by the introduction of the android the Vision, Pym assumed the new identity of Yellowjacket in issue #59, and married the Wasp the following month. The Avengers headquarters was in a New York City building called Avengers Mansion, the team encountered new characters such as Arkon in issue #75, and Red Wolf in #80. The Avengers briefly disband when Skrulls impersonating Captain America, Thor, the true founding Avengers, minus the Wasp, reformed the team in response after complaints from Jarvis

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Vince Colletta
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This included a few landmark early issues of Marvel Comics Fantastic Four, and a long, celebrated run on the character Thor in Journey into Mystery and The Mighty Thor. He settled in Brooklyn, New York City, where his wife, the family then moved to New Jersey and opened an Italian market, severing any ties to the Mafia. The following year he began his collaboration with Marvel, at the companys 1950s iteration. Collettas work also appeared in genres as jungle adventure and horror/fantasy. His last confirmed work for decades was I Cant Marry Now in Love Diary #6. Collettas first confirmed work as an inker of another artists pencils is unknown, historians pinpoint Collettas first inking of Jack Kirbys pencils as either the cover of Kid Colt, Outlaw #100 or, the cover of Love Romances #98. Members of artist Wally Woods studio were among those who assisted or ghosted on Collettas mid-1960s Charlton stories, as an inker for Marvel in the 1960s, Colletta worked on nearly every title, including some of the earliest issues of Daredevil. Colletta began his run on Kirbys The Mighty Thor feature with the Tales of Asgard backup in Journey into Mystery #106. Colletta graduated to the feature with #116. Colletta also inked Journey into Mystery Annual #1, which introduced Hercules to the Marvel universe, historians and critics consider Collettas Thor work to be his creative highlight. Historian Nick Simon said, For me, the Kirby/Colletta version of Thor is the definitive one, author and Silver Age of Comic Books historian Pierre Comtois wrote that. Be that as it may, what Colletta chose to keep, Colletta would also pencil stories in many 1960s issues of Charlton Comics Teen-Age Love and First Kiss. He occasionally inked romance stories penciled by Joe Sinnott, and other pencilers on such titles as Charltons Gunmaster, and Dell Comics Guerrilla War, Jungle War Stories, and Western series Idaho. While Collettas rates were good and he brought an innocent Marvel Age look to Jacks new heroes, he was prone to erasing background characters and transforming ustling crowd scenes easier silhouettes. Kirby confidante Mark Evanier and inker Wally Wood eventually convinced a reluctant Kirby to ask DC Publisher Carmine Infantino to remove Colletta from inking Kirbys titles. He was replaced by inker Mike Royer, causing fans to write to DC in complaint. Collettas frequent assistant Art Cappello did much of the inking on these comics. He was named DCs art director in May 1976, resigning the post in May 1979 and his time there included discovering future industry star Frank Miller

7.
Asgard (comics)
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Asgard is the name of a fictional realm and its capital city within the Marvel Comics universe. Based on the realm of the name from Norse mythology, Asgard is home to the Asgardians. Asgard first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, according to Asgardian legend, in the beginning there was nothing, but in time two worlds came into being on opposite sides of the void. The one to the north was named Niflheim, a world of clouds and shadows in whose center surged the fountain Hvergelmir, the one to the south was named Muspelheim, which teemed with rivers of fire. Eventually the warm air from the carved out the frost giant Ymir from the ice in the north. Ymir became the father of all the giants, and his cow Auðumbla licked out of the ice the first Asgardian, Buri had a son named Borr, who married the giantess Bestla. Borr and Bestla had three sons named Odin, Vili, and Ve, who were known as the Æsir, Odin and his brothers grew to hate the giants and slew Ymir, and his blood formed a great sea. Odin and his brothers then raised Ymirs body from the sea, with Ymirs bones they created mountains, and with his hair they created trees. They then raised Ymirs skull upon four pillars to create the heavens, within the skull contained sparks from Muspelheim, which became the sun, moon, and stars. When Midgard was complete, Odin and his brothers created a home for themselves above it called Asgard, between the two worlds they stretched a rainbow bridge and called it Bifröst. Once a year Odin must undertake the Odinsleep to regain his strength, during this time Asgard is vulnerable to attack from its many enemies, most notably Odins adopted son, Loki. Loki later usurped the throne of Asgard by taking the Odinring, the throne of Asgard later passes to Thor after Odin is killed in battle by Surtur, when the demon invades Earth. It was prophesied that Loki would lead Asgards enemies in a conflict known as Ragnarök. This comes to pass when Loki obtains the forge that created Mjolnir, the entirety of Asgard and its inhabitants are destroyed in the resulting battle. After Ragnarök, Donald Blake awakens Thor from the Void of Non-Existence, Thor returns to Earth and rebuilds Asgard outside of Broxton, Oklahoma, purchasing the land with gold from the treasury. Thor then goes about restoring the Asgardians, who have been reborn in the bodies of men and women. Asgards location on Earth makes the city a target during the Secret Invasion by the Skrulls led by a Super-Skrull named Godkiller, whose powers mimic Thundra, Titania, Volcana, the aliens are repelled with help from Thors ally, Beta Ray Bill. Asgard is destroyed yet again after Norman Osborn seizes control of S. H. I. E. L. D, following the Secret Invasion as he seeks to expel Asgard from U. S. soil in an effort to consolidate power

8.
Walt Simonson
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Walter Walt Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics Thor from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned work Star Slammers, which he inaugurated in 1972 as a Rhode Island School of Design thesis, Simonson has won numerous awards for his work and has influenced artists such as Arthur Adams and Todd McFarlane. He is married to comics writer Louise Simonson, with whom he collaborated on X-Factor from 1988 to 1989, Walter Simonson was born September 2,1946 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and lived there for two and a half years. When his father, who worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, received a promotion at work that required him to relocate to Washington, Simonson, his younger brother and his parents moved to Maryland, where Simonsons parents still lived as of 1989. Simonson first read comics as a child, through the subscriptions to Walt Disneys Comics, by the age of ten he was an avid fan of the work of Carl Barks, Little Lulu, Little Iodine, and Alex Toths work on The Land Unknown. He also enjoyed drawing from a young age. This was his first published work in comics, Simonson studied geology at Amherst College, with the intent of becoming an expert on dinosaurs. In 1964 or 1965, Simonson discovered Marvel Comics, in particular that companys version of Thor, a title he read for four years. After graduating from Amherst with a degree in Geology, Simonson took a year off, Simonson would later revisit Star Slammers throughout his career, publishing it through various publishers over the decades. Boudreau arranged a meeting between Simonson and editor Archie Goodwin, after meeting with Goodwin, Simonson went to DCs coffee room, where he saw Howard Chaykin, Michael Kaluta, Berni Wrightson and Alan Weiss sitting together. Simonson struck up a conversation with the artists, who looked at his portfolio, after speaking to Simonson for about ten minutes, he had Goodwin and his fellow editors Julius Schwartz and Joe Orlando give Simonson work. Simonson walked out of Infantinos office with jobs from one of them. At one point Simonson lived in the same Queens apartment building as artists Allen Milgrom, Howard Chaykin, Simonson recalls, Wed get together at 3 a. m. Theyd come up and wed have popcorn and sit around and talk about whatever a 26,27 and our art, TV, you name it. I pretty much knew at the time, These are the good ole days, Simonsons first professional published comic book work was illustrating writer Len Weins story Cyranos Army, which appeared in DCs Weird War Tales #10, which was covered dated January 1973. Simonsons breakthrough illustration job was Manhunter, a feature in DCs Detective Comics written by Goodwin. In a 2000 interview, Simonson recalled, What Manhunter did was to me professionally. Before Manhunter, I was one guy doing comics, after Manhunter

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Alan Davis
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Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA, The Nail and JLA, Another Nail. Alan Davis was born on June 18,1956, Davis began his career in comics on an English fanzine. His first professional work was a strip called The Crusader in Frantic Magazine for Dez Skinns revamped Marvel UK line, daviss big break was drawing the revamped Captain Britain story in The Mighty World of Marvel. As Davis never realised artists drew at a larger size than what was published, afterwards, Alan Moore took over writing duties on Captain Britain. He drew 14 issues of the monthly Captain Britain title, which was reprinted in trade paperback. Davis and Moore formed a working partnership as creators, they also created D. R. Later, Davis replaced Garry Leach on Marvelman in Warrior and yet again worked with Moore and he also drew the story Harry Twenty on the High Rock in 2000AD. In 1985 Davis received his big break in the United States when he was hired by DC Comics to draw their Batman, Davis took over from Jim Aparo, who launch the direct market version of the title, The Outsiders. His work proved popular enough for him to be assigned duties on DCs flagship title Detective Comics in 1986. During the Batman, Year Two storyline, however, Davis encountered difficulties with his editor, the remaining three issues were illustrated by Todd McFarlane. In the story, which featured Joe Chill, the murderer of Batmans parents and he asked Davis to draw him with a Mauser with an extended barrel, similar to the one used by the Paul Kirk version of Manhunter. When asked by editorial to redraw the gun in his artwork, dick Giordano redrew the gun in the artwork. Davis accepted an offer by Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont to work on Marvel Comics X-Men books, with Claremont, Davis drew two New Mutants Annuals and three issues for Uncanny X-Men. In 1987 the duo launched the monthly series Excalibur, which featured a team consisting of Captain Britain and Meggan together with former X-Men members Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler and Rachel Summers. The stories, set in England, saw appearances by characters from Moores and Davis Captain Britain stories of the early 1980s, including the Crazy Gang. Davis penciled were inked by Paul Neary and, later, Mark Farmer, Davis left with issue 24, but returned with issue 42, this time also as writer. Among the new characters he created for his run on the title were Feron, Cerise, Micromax. In 1994 Davis created a new series of characters called the ClanDestine, which featured the Destines

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Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson)
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Eric Masterson is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a superhero that has appeared as Thor and later Thunderstrike. The character was introduced as a character in the Thor title. Later interpretations of Thunderstrike would appear in both the MC2 and Heroic Age Marvel Comics storylines, featuring the son, Kevin Masterson. Eric Masterson first appeared in Thor #391, as a supporting character, Thor #408 featured the merging of the character Eric Masterson with Thor, Masterson being utilized as the God of Thunders alter ego until issue #432. Thor #432 featured the character assuming the role of Thor, following Thor #459, Masterson was introduced as Thunderstrike in the eponymous series starting in June 1993. The series lasted two years. Thunderstrike ran for 24 issues, the series canceled in September 1995, creator Tom DeFalco has often claimed that the book outsold Thor and The Avengers combined at the time of its cancellation, although this has been shown to be extremely unlikely. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Thor Corps as Thunderstrike, the character was featured in the Avengers from issue #343 until issue #374, and crossover series Operation, Galactic Storm. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War, outside the many appearances in Thor and Avengers, Thunderstrike was used to launch an ongoing series Blackwulf, and a limited series. It was announced that the Thunderstrike character would be returning in a new miniseries by co-creators Tom DeFalco, promotionals leading into the event began in August depicting the mace stating One will rise. And The World Still Needs Heroes, ultimately, the new Thunderstrike miniseries featured Eric Mastersons son, Kevin, in the role once inhabited by his father. Eric Kevin Masterson was working as an architect when he met Thor, Masterson was injured by falling girders, and was taken to the hospital by Thor. Now on crutches, Masterson was attacked by Quicksand, but saved by Thor, Masterson was then abducted by Mongoose. Masterson accompanied Thor to the Black Galaxy, where he first met Hercules, Masterson was mortally wounded by Mongoose, and is given Thors form and powers after the original is sealed in Erics mind, by Odin, to save Erics life. Masterson was then separated from Thor by the Red Celestial, shortly thereafter, Masterson saved Thors life, and was merged with him again. Mastersons son Kevin was captured by Ulik for Loki, Thor freed Kevin and seemingly slew Loki in battle. Heimdall separated Thor from Masterson, then banished Thor, and transformed Masterson into a new Thor and he then met the Enchantress as Leena Moran, and battled Ulik. Eric continues in the role of Thor, after having been given Mjolnir by Thor, Eric then returns to Earth and joins the Avengers in Thors place

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Superhero fiction
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Superhero fiction is a genre mainly originating in and most common to American comic books, though it has expanded into other media through adaptations and original works. A superhero is most often the protagonist of superhero fiction, although some titles, such as Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, a superhero is a type of stock character possessing extraordinary or superhuman powers and dedicated to protecting the public. The word itself dates to at least 1917, a female superhero is sometimes called a superheroine. SUPER HEROES is a trademark co-owned by DC Comics and Marvel Comics, such characters were generally referred to as mystery men in the so-called Golden Age of Comic Books to distinguish them from characters with super-powers. Normally, superheroes use their powers to counter day-to-day crime while also combating threats against humanity by their criminal counterparts, long-running superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Iron Man have a rogues gallery of such enemies. One of these supervillains might be the superheros archenemy, Superheroes will sometimes combat other threats such as aliens, magical/fantasy entities, natural disasters, political ideologies such as Nazism or communism, and godlike or demonic creatures. A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies. They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other heroes, whereas superheroes often wield fantastic powers, the supervillain possesses commensurate powers and abilities so that he can present a daunting challenge to the hero. Even without actual physical, mystical, superhuman or superalien powers, another common trait is possession of considerable resources to help further his aims. Many supervillains share some characteristics of real world dictators, mobsters. Superheroes and supervillains often mirror each other in their powers, abilities, in some cases, the only difference between the two is that the hero uses his extraordinary powers to help others, while the villain uses his powers for selfish, destructive or ruthless purposes. Both superheroes and supervillains often use alter egos while in action, while sometimes the characters real name is publicly known, alter egos are most often used to hide the characters secret identity from their enemies and the public. Fans have termed the practice of bringing back dead comic book death. Another common trait of superhero fiction is the killing off of a significant other by a supervillain to advance the plot. Comic book writer Gail Simone has coined the term Women in Refrigerators to refer to this practice, often, many works superhero fiction occur in the a shared fictional universe, sometimes establishing a fictional continuity of thousands of works spread over many decades. Changes to continuity are also common, ranging from changes to established continuity, commonly called retcons, to full reboots. It is also common for works of superhero fiction to contain established characters. Crossovers often occur between characters of different works of superhero fiction, in comic books, highly publicized events are published featuring crossovers between many characters

12.
Warriors Three
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The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters who served as supporting cast members in Thor, published by Marvel Comics. The Warriors Three is made up of the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, though the characters are gods of Asgard, they are original creations of Marvel Comics and not based on characters from Norse mythology. The Warriors Three first appear in Journey into Mystery #119 and were created by Stan Lee, the Warriors Three have played a supporting role in Marvels Thor title since the late 1960s. For some time, Volstagg was the coward of the group and he gained courage over time and is now more than ever, likely to be found on the front lines of battle. They first appeared when going on a quest with Thor and other Asgardians to prevent Ragnarok, the trio have multiple adventures with their friend Thor, such as when they battled the Thermal Man. For a time, they quest with him in outer space, in the limited series Thor, Blood Oath, Thor and the Warriors Three are sent on a quest as penance for accidentally killing an enemy giant during a time of peace. Although they fail in their quest, through the use of each warriors unique capabilities, the group is allied with the earth-bound group the New Mutants. During the mutants first trip to Asgard, they drank and celebrated with Roberto da Costa, during the groups second visit, the Three encounter new members of the group and do not find their story of Helas plan to kill to Odin believable. Volstaggs children do and free the group, helping them on their way, Boom Boom, Warlock and the New Mutant ally, the wolf-prince Hrimhari, rescue the Three from the fatal attentions of Queen Ula and her hive. Hrimharis honor is enough to convince the Three and Queen Ula to join in on the attempt to defeat Hela, Other Asgardians join in on the fight and soon, Odin is saved. Another Fanfare issue focused on the wife of Ulik The Troll, despite the many attacks by Ulik against Asgardians, his wife feels she has nowhere else to go when she thinks her husband is in trouble. Hogun wants nothing to do with her, but Volstagg convinces him to at least consult with Fandral, the conclusion of the story has Ulik yet again attacking. When Thors misunderstood brother Loki brought Ragnarök down upon Asgard, two of the warriors were killed off-panel by an arrow storm launched from the deck of the flying ship Naglfar. The third, Volstagg, survived and was discovered by Thor hiding inside a statue, only now being emaciated and frail. Thor has resurfaced in the Midwest of the United States of America and has vowed to find Odin and all other Asgardians, after finding Heimdall, Thor discovers the Warriors Three inhabiting the bodies of three volunteer guards for the Umeme Mungu Refugee Camp in Africa. The trio are restored to their true forms, in Secret Invasion, the Warriors Three are vital to the Asgardian victory over the Skrulls. They are part of the effort when Norman Osborn leads a villain army against Asgard. Along with many heroes and gods, they attend the wake of Hercules